Joann

High quality cooking

Everything is genuinely spot-on in this charming restaurant, housed in the former grand residence of a textile family. Standout features in the L-shaped dining room include steel flowers set in illuminated niches, glass vases filled with gladioli, lowered wooden ceilings, and gold-toned lamps shaped like cushions. Owner-chef Emiel Kwekkeboom cooks fantastically: every one of the five courses we devour is of exceptional quality. His style is a modern, light interpretation of classical French cuisine. Joann serves a multi-course menu that can also be ordered entirely vegetarian. Additionally, there is a fixed-price all-in menu. Ingredients are sourced locally whenever possible, including produce from the Enschedese Groeituin. The opening course is an immediate success: ceviche-style kingfish, crab salad, tomato broth, verbena cream, tiny fried prawns, and dill. A dream dish: light, fresh, sweet, and savory—all elements are present and beautifully balanced. We are equally effusive about the vegetarian starter: miso-marinated and pan-seared cauliflower served with a Twentse Bunker cheese foam. Hazelnuts add a highly pleasing texture to the dish. This creation also boasts a broad flavor profile: tangy (from a hint of lime), sweet, and umami-rich. The latter pairs beautifully with the Chilean wine poured by our knowledgeable sommelier, René Dommerholt: Viña Marty’s Goutte d’Argent, a Sauvignon Blanc crafted using sake yeast. Service, led by hostess Mandy Kwekkeboom-Overbeek and maître Femke Gröniger, is excellent in every respect: warm, friendly, engaging, attentive, and highly professional. Truly nothing to fault. Well, just one minor quibble: we were not handed a printed vegetarian menu. It’s a shame, as it would have completed the overall experience. Nevertheless, it marks a substantial rise to number 78 on the list.

Under the guidance of owner-chef Emiel Kwekkeboom and hostess Mandy Overbeek, Joann, located in a historic city villa, offers a gastronomic experience where every detail counts. Their shared passion for gastronomy is reflected in the warm welcome, the refined interior, and the harmonious atmosphere that blends modern elegance with homely coziness. The kitchen is a melting pot of international influences, favoring French and Japanese nuances, and brings innovation to the forefront. The 'Touch of Gold Menu' is an ode to luxury, featuring dishes enriched with caviar and truffle, while the vegetarian menu, sourced directly from Joann's own garden, celebrates the versatility of plant-based ingredients. The evening begins with an aperitif, setting the tone with champagne from Michel Arnould and refined amuses. Each dish is refined and palate-pleasing, such as the pickled slow-cooked trout, enhanced with a mushroom duxelles, quince compote, and a touch of XO sauce, striking a balance between earth and sea. Highlights of the evening include the delicate combination of beef brisket and scallop, and the duck leg stew with rich, deep flavors. Sommelier René Dommelholt, with his infallible instinct for wine pairing, enhances each dish with carefully selected wines that embrace the essence of the ingredients. At Joann, dining is an experience that engages all the senses. From the welcoming reception by the black brigade to the final bite of dessert. Joann drops to rank 98.

With their young team, owner-chef Emiel Kwekkeboom and hostess Mandy Overbeek run a thriving and inviting restaurant housed in an impressive 1915 manufacturer’s villa on the outskirts of Enschede. The name Joann is a blend of the first names of both mothers: Joke, Mandy’s mother, and Anneke, Emiel’s mother. The interior of Joann is chic and stylish, much like the waitstaff’s all-black attire. Everyone is simply stunning. That same precision is evident in the plating, service approach, and Emiel’s high-end gastronomic cuisine. Guests at Joann can order multi-course tasting menus. The wine list features labels from around the globe, with a particular emphasis on lesser-known wine regions such as Slovenia and Moldova. It also includes renowned and classified European wines alongside the sommelier’s personal selections. Paired with a sparkling glass of champagne from the small, artistic family estate of Michel Arnould in Verzenay, refined amuse-bouches arrive, followed by crisp sourdough with goat butter so irresistible that the plate is quickly cleared. Emiel favors Japanese seasonings, a preference immediately apparent in the starter: marinated tuna tartare with white cabbage, served alongside chawanmushi (savory steamed custard) and yuzu kosho (a spicy fermented chili paste), all resting in a rich tuna and langoustine broth. Perfectly and thrillingly balanced, and when paired with a glass of refreshing Elbling Trocken by Max Weber from Margarethenhof vineyard, it sets a stunningly beautiful tone for the meal. The vegetarian creation featuring Jerusalem artichoke, black garlic, lemon thyme, and Brie de Meaux is another standout hit, offering not just exceptional flavor but also visually stunning presentation. An elegant Valpolicella Classico from Domini Veneti accompanies the sous-vide-cooked tender beef brisket, served with savoy cabbage, Amsterdam onions, and an aromatic jus enriched with vadouvan. A culinary jewel in the Twente region. Score: 88.

Restaurant Joann, housed in a former stately manufacturer's villa, is a new culinary and wine gem in Twente. Both the front-of-house and kitchen teams, including National Hennessy Hospitality Prize finalist Femke Gröniger, have undergone remarkable development and growth in recent years under the leadership of head chef Emiel Kwekkeboom and hostess Mandy Overbeek. Even while still savoring the aperitif wine—a 2021 Verdejo by Felix Lorenzo Cachazo—the kitchen launches directly into a highly convincing performance with a series of exquisitely refined cold and warm amuse-bouches. Each one is a delight in its own right, with the white chocolate and jalapeño dish standing out as our favorite. The playful exploration of fundamental flavors takes center stage, as evidenced by a flawlessly composed dish of North Sea crab paired with green curry, kaffir lime leaves, a crispy seaweed krupuk, finished with sea vegetables and puffed rice. A surprising combination that leaves a profound, lingering finish. The intermezzo featuring roasted red mullet served with a divine vadouvan mussel sauce and melon utterly captivates us. Simply outstanding—so meticulously conceived and beautifully balanced. Talented sommelier René Dommerholt pairs this with a Greek Viognier, the 2021 Vidiano from Lyrarakis. Absolutely extraordinary. The Armenian Nuraz Voskevaz 2018 also earns high marks when paired with two preparations of beef sukkade simmered in a green sauce of tarragon, leek, and spices. Such exceptional craftsmanship, combined with the highest standards of hospitality, truly deserves recognition. It scores 92 this year.

Everything is perfect in this beautifully appointed former industrialist's villa. Van Emiel Kwekkeboom and Mandy Overbeek ensure that the welcome, the professional service, the stunning terrace, and – last but not least – the quality of wine and food all hit the mark. Guests are pampered with great enthusiasm and a friendly word by four highly skilled hostesses dressed in elegant long gowns. Among the amuse-bouches, the mole soup with corn, pearl couscous, and a homegrown cherry tomato stands out for its distinctive cocoa notes. The harder fish ceviche with gooseberry jelly, green shiso cream, and broad bean sauce is truly a visual treat. We detect a delightful balance of salt and acidity that appears frequently on the menu. We accompany it with a Nyakas 'Don Olivér' 2020 from Hungary, proof that the kitchen happily serves lesser-known wines. The same goes for the Yarden Viognier 2017 from Israel’s Golan Heights, which pairs exquisitely with a vegetarian intermezzo of slow-cooked mini eggplant with tahini, hangop, and za'atar. Perfectly cooked beef tenderloin rolled in mushroom powder and served with a delicate cardamom sauce is a culinary pinnacle of this feast. Joann firmly plants itself among the Netherlands' culinary elite, entering at position 00 in this guide's Top-100.

New to this guide last year. Owner-chef Emiel Kwekkeboom and hostess Mandy Overbeek are based in a truly magnificent historic building, a stately former manufacturer's villa in Enschede. The interior design is by Kees Marcelis, and its contemporary layout, which preserves characteristic original features, is both surprising and atmospheric. The armchairs are incredibly comfortable, making it easy to spend a quiet, long evening dining. The menu, featuring international and contemporary dishes, is seasonal and may change daily, weekly, or monthly. The same applies to the wines; carefully selected by experienced head sommelier René Dommerholt and his team. Emiel Kwekkeboom, a fan of football and Formula 1, says: “I prefer to work with both international and regional products, depending on their quality. Due to our concept, we frequently rotate dishes, which are primarily dictated by the season, supply, quality, and availability. We exclusively work with select suppliers with whom we share a close relationship. Additionally, we are currently developing our own vegetable garden (5,000 m²), from which we hope to begin harvesting the first crops for our restaurant next winter. Our wine list is highly diverse. We aim to surprise guests with lesser-known wines while still featuring more classic selections. We have also grown significantly over the past six months. Even though our business is still in its early stages, the passion clearly shines through. We aspire to reach the top 100, and I am confident that this is entirely achievable with our current standards.” Intense focus goes into the open kitchen, where all fine dining dishes are expertly seasoned and beautifully garnished before being served at the table by a skilled, young Black brigade. When the weather is nice, guests can relax in the brand-new garden on the renovated terrace. It’s a pleasure dining at Joann.

Restaurant Joann is a new addition to Twente. Two young, ambitious hospitality entrepreneurs, chef Emiel Kwekkeboom (formerly of La Rive Amsterdam) and hostess Mandy Overbeek, can finally bring their dream to life. Housed in a stately former manufacturer’s villa in Enschede, the space has been completely redesigned by Kees Marcelis while preserving its distinctive character, where focused culinary work unfolds in an open kitchen. Fine dining is the standard here. Guests can choose from a tasting menu served across multiple courses. The wine list boasts surprising selections from regions including Slovenia and Moldova. To begin, a tartare made from hard cheese with peas and water mint arrives beautifully plated, accompanied by an unconventional yet harmonious pour of Guerila Zelen from Slovenia, expertly selected by sommelier René Dommerholt. The second course features a yellow curry with white sweet potato, pineapple, and Dutch runner beans, a flavorful dish that underscores the chef’s international culinary vision. The main course is equally exceptional: succulent Iberico pork served with a chocolate and twenty-spice sauce, perfectly complemented by the 2013 Viña Alberdi Rioja Reserva. Kudos go out for the precise serving temperatures, the thoughtfully curated wine list, and the inclusion of no fewer than three non-alcoholic options. The cheese selection is sourced from l’Amuse by Betty Koster, and the resident “cheese specialist” Laura Überschär can name every single one off the top of her head. Simply elegant. Lekker adds another gem to its collection. Welcome!